Category: RV Life

S’mores are a camping favorite since they’re traditionally cooked over an open fire. Winter is campfire season, so bring a little bit of cozy to your cold evening with a yummy s’more! Reach for those marshmallows, Hershey’s chocolate, and graham crackers and check out these unique s’mores recipes that will blow the traditional version out of the water.

Grilled Banana S’mores

What you’ll need:

2 yellow bananas

2 tablespoons chocolate chips

20 miniature marshmallows

2 tablespoons Golden Grahams

Cooking Instructions:

Leave the banana in its peel and cut a 1-inch strip down the middle of the banana (lengthwise).

Now cut the banana into 1-inch slices inside the peel.

Evenly stuff the marshmallows, Golden Grahams and chocolate chips into the banana. Stuff the ingredients into the sides of the banana peel and between each of the slices.

Use tin foil to wrap the bottom of each banana, then add a few more chocolate chips and marshmallows on top.

Place the bananas on a pre-heated grill and let them cook until they’re warmed all the way through (roughly 5 minutes). If you don’t have a grill readily available, an oven can be used to broil the bananas.

Leave the bananas in the peel and enjoy with a fork.

Mason Jar S’mores

What You’ll Need:

1 box chocolate instant pudding

Marshmallow fluff

4 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

4 Mason jars (4-ounces each)

Preparation Instructions:

Place 1 tablespoon of graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of each Mason jar.

Follow the instructions on the box to prepare the instant pudding.

Pour the pudding evenly into each Mason jar.

Top each Mason jar off with marshmallow fluff.

Broil the mason jars in the oven just until the marshmallow fluff has browned.

There’s no better place to enjoy s’mores than at the campground with your RV. Whether you’re in the market for a new or used RV, Capital RV Center can help you find the RV that’s just right for you and your needs.

When you walk onto the Capital RV Centers lot, your purchasing decision is going to be severely limited if you’re going in with the attitude that you need an RV as big as North Dakota in order to live in it in comfort. The reality is that there’s quite a bit that you can do to expand the living space inside of an RV. Here are some ideas.

Remove Unnecessary Furniture

Sometimes all that extra storage space comes in handy, other times you wish you had a little more headroom. If you have any cabinets, nightstands, shelves or other furniture that you don’t need, a little spackle and paint will cover most of the small nail holes left by removing the built in furnishings. Use the extra space however you wish, even if it’s just to have some empty foot area.

Mirrors

It’s a simple trick but it works: use mirrors to open up a living space. A couple of full length mirrors in the bedroom can really help to create the feeling of space in your RV.

Tear Down the Walls

In most RVs and trailers, you really don’t need to worry about load bearing walls. The weight is all resting on the actual frame itself, not on anything inside of the RV’s interior, so, generally speaking, if you want to tear down a wall to expand the living area into the second bedroom or turn the entire RV into a studio apartment, you can safely do just that. Opening the area up really helps to create a sense of breathing room.

Visit Capital RV Centers

Whether you want to expand a small RV, camper, or trailer, or make a big one even bigger, there are a whole lot of neat tricks like these that can help you to do just that. Whether remodeling or simply redecorating, there are a lot of great ways to take your living space in your RV and expand it. Come see us at Capital RV Centers today for more tips, or to check out our inventory to get yourself a new RV that’s downright larger than what you currently have.

Most RVs have an awning, probably yours included. They’re greatly convenient, but you might not give your awning a second thought. Don’t take your RV’s awning for granted, however. Its functionality can be compromised if it never receives attention or maintenance. Keep your awning in good order so it can protect you come sun, rain, or whatever else the weather has in store for you on your RV travels.

Prevent Water from Pooling

One of the easiest things to prevent is water from pooling on your awning. All you have to do is remember to tip your awning a bit to allow water to run off onto the ground after a rain storm. Pooling water can cause wear and tear on your awning’s fabric which could eventually lead to failure. If bad weather is on the horizon and you don’t expect to use your awning while it happens, you may as well take the time to roll it up tight to prevent possible damage. If it does get wet, make sure it dries completely before you retract it to prevent the possibility of mildew.

Protect it from Wind

Wind is perhaps more dangerous than water to your awning. Strong winds can twist and break even a new sturdy awning, so be aware if there are high winds developing during the day and take steps to prevent damage to your awning by getting it retracted before they hit.

Other Tips

If you’re not using the awning, don’t have it extended. If you leave the campsite for a hike or when you simply go to bed, go ahead and retract it. You never know if the wind will pick up while you’re gone or asleep.

Visit Capital RV Center

If you’re interested in starting the RV lifestyle, come see us at Capital RV Center in North Dakota. Our wide inventory of RVs and motorhomes is sure to have just the right model for your needs. If you have any questions on driving an RV, we’d be glad to help!

Hosting a Thanksgiving get-together can be overwhelming, especially when you’re hosting it in the compact space of an RV. However, that doesn’t mean you should skip the holiday when living life on the road.

Use these simple tips for throwing the perfect Thanksgiving celebration in the comfort of your RV this year.

1. Plan Ahead

Thanksgiving’s position after Halloween and before Christmas means the holiday seems to appear out of nowhere. Decide which dishes you’ll be making ahead of time, so you can start the process of gathering all of the supplies you’ll need.

2. Start Cooking Early

You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving Day to start the cooking process. Prepare your sides the day before Thanksgiving, so you just have to pop them in the oven when your guests arrive.

3. Try Something New

Use traveling in your RV during the holiday as a chance to try something new. Consider deep-frying your turkey outside instead of roasting it indoors.

4. Find Decorations at the Campsite

Use sticks, leaves, pine cones and pine needles from around the campsite for festive and free table decorations.

5. Consider Buying Your Desserts

Shop at a local bakery for delectable Thanksgiving desserts that your friends will love just as much as the homemade versions.

6. Create Fun Placecards

Placecards are a fun part of every festivity, but you can make them even more enjoyable by printing out funny Facebook photos of your friends instead.

7. Label Your Dishes

Make your party welcoming for your friends with dietary restrictions by labeling your dishes with their name and what’s inside.

8. Don’t Forget the Kids’ Table

Creating a fun kids’ table will ensure your little guests stay occupied, so the adults can have more fun. Cover the kids’ table with craft paper and give them plenty of crayons to decorate it as they please.

Whether a time-honored tradition in your family or just something to pass the time on a rainy day, family game nights are great opportunities to come together and bond over a bit of friendly competition.

Board Games

Board games are the quintessential family night game. From classics to new additions, there’s a board game bound to entertain you and your family. Try old standbys, like Monopoly, Life, Sorry, or Clue.

Dominoes

A set of dominoes is a versatile option that doesn’t take up a lot of space in your RV. Try games like Chicken Foot or Mexican Train, both of which involve strategy and planning.

Cards

Perhaps even more versatile than dominoes, a few decks of cards can provide endless entertainment (and they take up even less space than dominoes!). A friendly game of poker with nothing on the line but bragging rights is fun, as is Spite and Malice.

Visit Capital RV Center

Drop by Capital RV Center if you’re thinking about getting into the RV lifestyle with your own motorhome. The RV lifestyle, like family game nights, helps to bring a family together. Capital RV Center offers RV sales, service, parts, and accessories in North Dakota.

If you are planning a Halloween party, you’ll want some unique Halloween treats. Even out on the road in your RV, you’ll want to celebrate the holiday, especially if these delicious treats are involved!

Halloween Party Mix

1 Egg white, large

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbs. Packed light brown sugar

1 tbs. Chili powder

½ tsp. Salt

5 cups Unsalted popcorn, popped

2 cups Mini pretzel twists

2 cups Roasted peanuts, salted*

* If any of your guests have peanut allergies, substitute another type of nut or more pretzels.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a whisk, mix the egg white, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, the chili powder and the salt in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss everything together, making sure all of the snack food is coated with the liquid mixture.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and bake it until it’s crispy, about 20 minutes. Stir the mixture once or twice during the baking time. Cool in the pan on a wire rack until the mixture is completely cooled.

Parmesan Bread Stick Brooms

2 1-pound pieces of frozen pizza dough, thawed

2 tbs. Milk

¼ cup Grated Parmesan cheese

Instruction

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Roll out each piece of dough into a 6-inch by 10-inch rectangle. Flour a chef’s knife and cut each piece into six 10-inch strips. Make 3-inch cuts lengthwise at one end of each of the strips. Keep the cuts about ¼ inch apart. These are the broom straws. Twist and pull the uncut part to form a broom handle. Transfer the broom sticks to the pan, keeping them a couple of inches apart. Spread out the cut ends. Brush the bread stick brooms with milk and sprinkle them with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until the sticks turn golden, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Visit Capital RV Center

Stop in at Capital RV Center in North Dakota this October to view our inventory and to shop for your next RV. Capital RV Center offers RV sales, service, and accessories.

Living a full-time life on the road is a dream for many RV enthusiasts. However, many travelers don’t know that a full-time RV lifestyle can benefit their overall well-being in a number of ways. The following are four reasons why you should ditch your weekend warrior status and transition to a full-time life on the road.

1. You’ll Enjoy More Freedom

This is the reason you love the RV lifestyle in the first place. It’s your chance to forget about deadlines, reservations and the stresses of daily life. When you live on the road full-time, this sense of freedom becomes a reality. You can move locations whenever you desire, work on your own schedule and even avoid winter entirely. It’s up to you!

2. Live More Affordably

Traveling has a poor reputation of being expensive. However, life in your RV is likely going to be much more affordable than your life at home. Campsite fees, RV insurance, maintenance, and daily meals will be your biggest expenses, but you’ll be able to forget about your mortgage, rent and the overpriced utilities associated with a brick-and-mortar home.

3. Spend More Time in Places You Love

Instead of visiting the places you love for a week or weekend, you can spend months living at each one. If you love the ocean, book a campsite for the month. If you adore the mountains, find a campground and stay as long as you please. The full-time RV lifestyle gives you an opportunity to live the life of your dreams.

4. You Can Be Debt-Free

Selling your home and moving into a motorhome means you can eliminate the debt that has been causing you stress for years. Purchasing an RV also sounds more expensive than it really is. Here at Capital RV Center, we always offer unbeatable deals on new and used RVs, so you can find the RV that suits your travel and budget needs.

Buying an RV is a purchase you’ll never regret. Owning an RV means more time spent out exploring, more time with the ones you love and more time to relax. When you commit to the RV lifestyle, whether you travel full or part-time, your life becomes less stressful and more fulfilling.

The RV Lifestyle is Affordable

One of the greatest benefits of RV ownership is that traveling in an RV is more affordable than traveling other ways. Travelers who use their RVs for vacations save big money by not purchasing flights, costly hotel rooms or expensive meals at restaurants. Those who travel full-time have the opportunity to live in a compact space that is far more affordable than the average home. Even utility costs are drastically reduced when you’re living life on the road.

The RV Lifestyle is Simple

Life at home is stressful, but life on the road is relaxing. The RV lifestyle forces you to live in a compact space with the ones you love. Inside an RV, belongings are limited and time spent together is maximized. Stepping away from your busy daily lives helps everyone relax and make memories together.

The RV Lifestyle Presents New Opportunities

Every time you hit the road in your RV, you encounter new people, places and adventures. The RV lifestyle keeps life interesting by presenting kids and adults with new experiences on a daily basis. You may think traveling in an RV will broaden your kids horizons, but there’s no doubt it will broaden yours too.

The RV Lifestyle Keeps You Active

Traveling in your RV means you’re cruising to scenic places, campgrounds and other recreational spaces. When you’re not cruising down the road, you’re outside exploring your natural surroundings, playing games with fellow campers and embracing the great outdoors. Additionally, the compact space inside your RV practically forces your family to get out and explore together.

If you own a travel trailer or are considering purchasing one from your local RV dealership, you’ve probably done your homework and know to have the proper vehicle for towing it and know how to handle it on the road. And you probably know the basics of setting one up at the RV park or campground.

However, owning and operating a travel trailer, as opposed to a motorhome, has its own nuances. Knowing these can help you maximize your experience in your travel trailer.

Learn How to Pack Efficiently

Travel trailers can get pretty large, but even the biggest trailer can’t approach the size of a brick and mortar home. Space is going to be limited. While you won’t be tempted to take the kitchen sink (your trailer already has one!), you might be tempted to take just about everything else with you. Whatever you do, resist that urge. You don’t want to find yourself on the road in a travel trailer that has too much stuff jammed into it.

You also need to distribute weight correctly to prevent things from falling or getting damaged and to prevent possible trailer sway.

Install Electric Brakes on the Towing Vehicle

Not only does an electric brake system provide the greatest control and stability when towing a travel trailer, but it’s also the law in some states. Since the whole point of traveling with your home on wheels is, well, traveling, you may as well get your vehicle to be compliant with laws everywhere across the country so you don’t have to worry about it.

Visit Capital RV Center

Stop in at Capital RV Center this fall to tour a new or pre-owned travel trailer (or any other type of RV you might be interested in seeing). Learn more about the benefits of owning an RV and about the specific features of any model in our inventory. While you’re here at Capital RV Center, shop our parts and accessories store or schedule a service appointment with a qualified RV technician.

You’ve just purchased a new RV, or perhaps you’ve had one for a while, and you are eager to take it out for a trip. Jumping right in the driver’s seat and taking off may lead to trouble. Even if you are experienced with driving a large vehicle, there are certain rules of etiquette among RV drivers. Learning these unspoken rules will help you make friends at campgrounds and along the roadways. Most of these rules are based on safety and consideration for others.

Lighting The Way

Driving with your lights on is an acceptable way to keep others aware of your presence. However, this can create a disruption for other drivers if you use your high beams. The headlights from an RV are the perfect height to shine right in the back window of a car. Lowering your lights around other vehicles is the best way to keep everyone focused on the road.

Choose Your Lane With Care

Sticking to the right lane is usually the best idea for RV drivers. If you are moving past a large city, try moving into the middle lane to stay out of the way of merging traffic for the exits. Stick to one lane as much as possible. Constant lane changes raise the risk of accidents, especially if you are driving a large RV with numerous blind spots. Always obey speed limits, especially on curving roads or areas with a grade. RVs with a high profile can tip over if you move too quickly in a turn.

Don’t Intrude

Most of the rules regarding campground life and behavior at dumping and gas stations is summed up in those two words. Remember the needs of others when using a public space. Avoid walking through someone’s camp site or playing loud music when your neighbors are sleeping. Don’t block a fuel pump if you are just running in to use the bathroom at a travel center. Spills are your responsibility to clean. If you are new to the RV life, try practicing your skills at home. Try asking for a demonstration on how to attach your sewage hoses and how to lower the leveling jacks.

Overnight Stops

Many travelers end up between destinations when traveling across the country. There may not be a campground in these small towns, but you can often find a location with a large parking lot that may let you spend the night. Most Walmart stores allow RVs to park for one night. Always ask the manager or owner of a store before parking in their lot. Don’t make a mess, stay more than a single night, or set up your belongings outside of your RV. Treating a temporary parking spot like a camp site is the quickest way to limit your options in the future.

Stop by Capital RV Center

If you’re interested in starting the RV lifestyle, come see us at Capital RV Center in North Dakota. Our wide inventory of RVs and motorhomes is sure to have just the right model for your needs. If you have any questions on driving an RV, we’d be glad to help!